


If the World Seems Cold (Arctic)

by kettish



Series: Biomes [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: M/M, cuddling for warmth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 05:06:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12005652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kettish/pseuds/kettish
Summary: I was having a hard time with this daggum prompt, and then I realized: cuddling for warmth. That means it’s cold! I know cold! And so you all now get 3500 words of Obi-Wan bitching about the cold and awkward night boners and then sex. Ta-dah!For sanerontheinside, who prompted "bedsharing" and "cuddling for warmth."





	If the World Seems Cold (Arctic)

**Author's Note:**

> If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it. --Lucy Larcom
> 
> I'm not sure who Lucy Larcom is; I just googled "quotes about cold" because I needed a title. But this seemed fitting, so I'm going to use it. :)

Their breath billowed ahead of them in the frigid air and frosted Obi-Wan’s eyebrows and his three day’s growth of beard. The insulating fabric covering his mouth had long since gone stiff on the outside with his exhaled moisture. Obi-Wan watched it cloud out regretfully; he was thirsty, unbelievably enough in this cold, and that was water he was sad to lose.

They were silent, following the Klatorian snow tiger’s six-pawed tracks. The beast was beyond endangered, and had been thought extinct for almost five hundred years on the ice-cold plains. A sighting had the world’s leader requesting assistance from the Jedi; there had already been rumours on the bounty hunting circuit of what the animal’s pelt could fetch, and the world government hoped to capture it and engineer a mate for it instead. 

Thus it was Qui-Gon, who was well known for having an affinity for living things, who had been asked to track and capture the snow tiger. Unfortunately, it was the dead of winter on its native plains, which meant temperatures well below -20° Standard. The Jedi had equipped themselves with thermal layers, winter boots, fabric coverings for their faces and hands, and according to product testing should have been toasty in even -50 Standard.

Obi-Wan privately decided the product testers were full of bantha shit on their first day of tracking.

He was cold; he was so cold. It sunk into his muscles and bones, not to the point of numbness but to where he began to believe he’d never be warm again. His blood was hot in his ears and face and nose and almost nowhere else. They didn’t dare work up a sweat, for fear they’d freeze once they had to stop, and Obi-Wan was trying his hardest to regulate his internal temperature using the Force as he’d been taught, but his ability there had never been so sorely tested as this.

Never like this, when the temperature had dipped suddenly their second night out into nearly -40. They woke with a start that night, hearing the crack of rifle shots, and had dressed and gone out into the cold to investigate before realizing it was the sound of the moisture in the trees freezing too quickly and exploding.

Their water froze in their packs and had to be thawed, and they kept a flat pack of it tucked against their abdomens so they could drink on stops during the day. Qui-Gon looked like he’d gone completely white, his beard and brows completely frost-covered, and Obi-Wan looked like he’d dipped his face in white sprinkles. 

It was miserable, and Obi-Wan hoped the damn snow tiger was real. 

He drew a careful breath in, keeping his lips as closed as possible and letting the air warm in the cavern of his mouth before taking it into his lungs. He’d had a nose bleed the night before and didn’t want to deal with it freezing to his face, and this spared his lungs and nasal passages. It still hurt to draw breath, a struggle to make his body obey like if he’d been asked to shove an ice cube up his ass--and speaking of, pissing hadn’t been fun either. It’d felt like his dick would rather crawl back up into his abdomen than feel that kind of cold again.

There were a surprising number of animals still out and moving, Obi-Wan observed. After the cold snap last night it had warmed back up again, clouds coming in and giving their eyes relief against the ice glare. The animals seemed to be darting out of hiding to eat before going back to hole up, hopefully not in preparation for another dip in temperature.

I sense a predatory presence, Qui-Gon sent. Obi-Wan halted and scanned the area, looking carefully though his eyes watered in the cold. A bird flitted along farther down the trail, and a small stick fell behind it, drawing his eye. Such tiny songbirds knew they were in no danger; a Klatorian snow tiger ranged from 90-275 kilos and required much larger prey.

Movement in one of the tall, thin trees that dotted the plain in copses caught his attention and he zeroed in on it, enhancing his vision with the Force. A smaller form of felid perched, staring at them, and Obi-Wan sighed, letting his vision fade back to normal. The cream-tan form of the cat ran the length of a branch and leapt back and forth down lower limbs before hitting the ground and bounding off into the brush.

“Not quite,” Obi-Wan muttered aloud, and the sound of his voice felt obscene in the deep silence. The snow muffled sound, and he felt like an interloper in a sacred place. Qui-Gon grunted at him, reaching down to scoop a bit of snow out of his boot laces, and a mass of white overshot him to hit the ground in front of him with a tremendous thump. 

“Qui-Gon!” Obi-Wan barked, his lightsaber out in an instant. “The snow tiger!” He was clumsy with his thick mittens and made the split-second decision to switch hands and yank his right mitten off. The cold bit at him, and he curled his hand around his lightsaber with a wince as he felt them stick to the metal. Hopefully they’d be able to subdue the predator before frostbite set in, but he’d already have cold damage from this.

“Keep it back while I load!” Qui-Gon yelled, darting behind Obi-Wan and throwing his pack onto the ground. The tranquilizer rounds they’d been given were stashed inside, kept warm enough to stay viable, as well as the dart gun they needed to shoot them with. Obi-Wan waved his ‘saber in round, thrumming patterns, trying to dazzle the snow tiger with its brightness and sound. Its doubled ears tracked it, but twitched back insistently to Qui-Gon each time he let up, giving him no choice but to continue. He was started to sweat, glad his outer layer would keep heat in for the time being, though later he was going to have a problem.

The tiger snarled, batting at Obi-Wan with one cream-on-white patterned front-paw, and Obi-Wan had to dodge backwards to keep from lopping it off. There was cursing behind him that signaled all was not well, but Obi-Wan couldn’t take his concentration off the animal to see what was wrong.

“Any time, Qui-Gon!” he demanded. The cursing behind him increased and then Obi-Wan distinctly heard ‘fuck it’ in Qui-Gon’s surliest tone before the tiger suddenly leapt back, roaring and snapping at its shoulder. It twisted again and this time Obi-Wan caught the cause: Qui-Gon had apparently decided the dart gun was out and had simply Force-propelled the tranqs at the beast.

Two tranqs had the snow tiger retreating, still turning as it ran to try and get rid of the source of its pain. Qui-Gon shoved the darts into his coat pocket and shouldered his pack again, and Obi-Wan slipped his mitten back on before they went after it. It didn’t get far before it began to wobble, dizzily tripping over its own paws, and then laid down, panting and growling. The Jedi waited far enough back so that it wasn’t stressed more than it already was, and when it laid down they began to advance.

They’d been briefed on what to do now, and Obi-Wan removed his left mitten this time to check the animal’s pulse once they were sure it was knocked out. Its heart rate was within the parameters they’d been provided and Qui-Gon activated the beacon to signal their transport. Obi-Wan yanked his gloves back on, stamping his feet and trying to keep moving, and was relieved to finally feel his right hand again. It had been risky, exposing his hand like that, but so long as he had feeling in his fingers he’d probably be able to keep them.

“We’ve done what we can,” Qui-Gon said as he finished, standing and trying to fluff his neck covering up around his ears again. It made him look rather like one of the small birds they’d seen, fluffed up and pulling their neck down into their feathers. Maybe one of the nocturnal birds of prey, instead, Obi-Wan decided. “Let’s eat and bed down nearby in case anyone followed us.”

That was agreeable. They’d hear anyone coming from practically a parsec away, it was so quiet, and with night falling it’d be cold and dark enough to see lights from nearly as far. Obi-Wan popped open the shelter, designed for cold and snow and even heavy wind (of which there was thankfully none--it was eerily still, here in the deep cold). That done, he settled their packs just inside, breathing deeply of the warming air and then ducking back out to hand their food to Qui-Gon, who was prepping their heater packs. 

They ate quickly, nerf vegetable stew and two packs each for the extra calories they needed keeping warm. The stew cooled and thickened unpleasantly and quickly, but Obi-Wan was hungry enough that he didn’t care. Qui-Gon gave him a look as he was sucking the last bit of sauce out of the ration pack and Obi-Wan shamefacedly tucked it into their trash bag. At last they swung their backs up into the trees and secured them before climbing back into the temporary shelter.

The shelter was a marvel of engineering, increasing the ambient temperature by about forty degrees. The problem there of course was that since it was nearly forty degrees below zero, it was still zero degrees inside. Their sleep sacks helped make up the difference, but Obi-Wan had been cold for days, was still cold, and wasn’t sure he’d be any but cold ever again. They spread their cloaks on the floor to help insulate them from the heat-leeching effect of the ground and then sealed the edges of the sleep sacks together so they could climb in and share warmth.

“Force, this is ridiculous,” Obi-Wan muttered, shuffling down into the sack as far as he possibly could. It was a little hard to breath down there, but so much warmer than outside. “This should be illegal. Outlawed.” Qui-Gon snorted, getting comfortable against him back-to-back. There was silence again and Obi-Wan shivered.

Qui-Gon shifted a little, pressing back against Obi-Wan more fully to provide more heat. Obi-Wan gratefully said nothing; Qui-Gon wouldn’t want attention called to his kindness. To him it was a simple matter: someone suffered, and he helped. There was little more to his philosphy than that, Obi-Wan had found.

He managed to stay still another minute or two, only minute tremors betraying his chill, until he shifted to push his hands into his groin; it was warmest there, next to his armpits, and allowed him to curl into a ball. He nosed into his shirt, hoping to keep the warmth he lost through his breath, and settled in with another shiver. The movement stirred Qui-Gon, who pushed up to his elbows and looked over at Obi-Wan with concern.

“Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon prodded. Obi-Wan curled a little tighter, trying to ignore him and still chilled. A light touch in the Force swept down him, and Qui-Gon ascertained the issue. “Obi-Wan, you’re freezing--why have you not done as I taught?” 

“Couldn’t stoke it high enough,” Obi-Wan grunted at him, irritated. They were told to find the internal flame that was their metabolism and feed it more fuel, coaxing their bodies into burning more calories to warm them from the inside out. Obi-Wan always had trouble with it, his body wanting to conserve fuel instead of expend it. He hadn’t meant to imply Qui-Gon’s teachings were inadequate, and usually he would have apologized. For now, he didn’t have the energy.

He flinched and Qui-Gon rolled over and wrapped his arms around him, cupping Obi-Wan’s hands in his own and pushing his legs up behind him. Obi-Wan wanted to still, to stop moving and figure out what was happening, but Qui-Gon was blessedly warm, and Obi-Wan wormed back against him so they were pressed together from neck to toe. 

Warm breath ghosted against Obi-Wan’s neck, and he could only let out a small and plaintive noise of gratitude as he basked. 

“I’m sorry,” Qui-Gon rumbled after long minutes had passed and Obi-Wan’s shivers had mostly abated. Obi-Wan hummed in inquiry. “I should have pressed this issue in your training. If you were alone on this mission my lack could have killed you.”

“I’m not,” Obi-Wan replied drowsily. Warmth was slowly spreading along his veins, flooding cold flesh and bringing his awareness back to normal levels. He hadn’t realized how muzzy he’d gotten and how slow his mental processes had been; Qui-Gon was correct in that he would have died here had he been alone. “I have you. We will work on it back at the Temple, when we can do so safely.”

Qui-Gon curled more tightly around Obi-Wan’s body but didn’t reply, and soon they both fell into slumber.

 

Obi-Wan woke later, warmer than since they’d made landfall. It was silent outside, and he wondered sleepily what had woken him. No sound, no lights visible through the translucent shelter walls. Qui-Gon grumbled something in his sleep and his hands tightened on Obi-Wan’s where they were both tucked into Obi-Wan’s crotch.

Noticing that sent a thrill down his spine, and it increased exponentially when he realized Qui-Gon was hard against his ass. Qui-Gon’s grumble this time sounded far more pleasant, and Obi-Wan flushed bright pink as he felt Qui-Gon’s cock twitch against him through their clothes. His own dick wasn’t far behind by now, having perked up the instant Obi-Wan noted where Qui-Gon’s hands were, and he cursed himself roundly as he struggled to tamp down his arousal before things got uncomfortable.

Not the time, not the time, now is not the time! He chanted to himself. His cock was still hardening though, and he squirmed as little as he could as he tried to rearrange himself; his cock was off to the side, but with the incipient erection occurring it needed to move up. Otherwise it pulled very uncomfortably on the tendon. He was about to give up and hope the discomfort would do the work for him when Qui-Gon sighed, long and low and pleased in his ear, and oh Obi-Wan needed to move immediately.

He was trying to figure out if he ought to push forward or try and gently move Qui-Gon backwards when the soft snoring in his ear snuffled and stopped, and Qui-Gon gave a tiny grunt as he woke.

“Shit,” Qui-Gon grumbled, scooting back, and Obi-Wan would have been home free if he hadn’t flinched.

Qui-Gon froze in the act of pulling his hands from Obi-Wan’s, and the fear of getting caught with an erection, in this situation, sent a thrill through Obi-Wan. It was reflected in his cock of all Force-forsaken places, which throbbed hopefully as Obi-Wan’s breath hitched.

“Uh,” said Qui-Gon, negotiator, diplomat, and Master Jedi. Obi-Wan tried not to cringe, as that would put him more firmly in contact with Qui-Gon. They lay there, awkward and silent, before Obi-Wan noticed the cold air seeping into the sleep sack and made a decision.

“Nope, fuck it,” he said firmly, and rolled over to tuck himself up against Qui-Gon’s chest with another shiver. Qui-Gon’s arms came around him seemingly automatically, and Obi-Wan could feel Qui-Gon’s bewilderment through the Force clear as a bell. “Look, it’s too bloody cold, I don’t care, I’m sorry you have to deal with this but pleaseletmestayhere.” He shivered shamelessly to make his point.

Qui-Gon’s bewilderment changed to upset confusion and to Obi-Wan’s displeasure, he pushed Obi-Wan away far enough to see his face.

“I should be apologizing, instead of you,” he argued, because of course Qui-Gon Jinn would argue. He had to, Obi-Wan reflected grumpily before shushing him. “I will not shush. That was inappropriate, and I am sorry Obi-Wan.”

“You don’t feel sorry,” Obi-Wan uttered, mulishly twitching his hips forward. To his astonishment, Qui-Gon sputtered and flushed deeply. Something was happening here that Obi-Wan wasn’t tracking, and he narrowed his eyes up at Qui-Gon. There was one theory that made sense, off the top of his head, and he tested it by rolling his hips more fully against Qui-Gon.

The gasping sound that left Qui-Gon’s mouth and the way he tried to tuck his head down into Obi-Wan’s head confirmed it. Obi-Wan stared into Qui-Gon’s chest as Qui-Gon evened his breath and thought fast.

“Is this--is this new?” he settled on, keeping his eyes forward. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see Qui-Gon’s face when he answered.

“No,” Qui-Gon answered reluctantly. Obi-Wan’s heart skipped and then began tripping a faster rhythm, pounding in his chest like a primal drum. 

“Is it something you would like for more than a night?” Qui-Gon’s mind felt cautiously hopeful, and Obi-Wan let himself dare, “Much more, maybe?” 

Qui-Gon’s arms tightened around Obi-Wan and hauled him up to kiss him soundly. Even in the relative warmth of the shelter their breath plumed around them, their hands like fire against each other’s faces. Obi-Wan moaned into it as he felt Qui-Gon nip at his lip, and sucked gently on Qui-Gon’s tongue in retaliation. It was getting warm in their sleep sack, and Qui-Gon pulled it down to sit up, trying to draw Obi-Wan up with him, but Obi-Wan was not remotely interested in leaving the covers and yanked him back down again. Qui-Gon laughed into their kiss and pulled them back up and over their heads. 

The sound of their mouths moving wetly against each other was magnified under the covers, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but undulate against Qui-Gon in the decadent feeling of warmth and friction. He groaned, shuddering at the intensity of the sensation, and did it again before Qui-Gon caught his hips to still him.

“Turn over, like we were,” Qui-Gon urged, and Obi-Wan flipped and scooted back, twisting to kiss him again. That wasn’t very comfortable, but Qui-Gon was still kissing and biting at the muscle of his neck and shoulder, pushing his shirt aside. Obi-Wan arched, rolling his hips back against Qui-Gon’s cock, and rubbed his own cock through his trousers. 

“Just like that,” Qui-Gon gasped, “oh Force, I was dreaming of this.” Obi-Wan moaned at his admission and finally pushed his pants down to capture his cock in his fist and stroke himself. Qui-Gon ground against his ass, making urgent unintelligible sounds that should have been amusing from a renowned wordsmith but were instead arousing in the extreme. Obi-Wan felt his hand pushed away and Qui-Gon’s rough palm take over pulling at his cock, and it wasn’t long before he tipped over into orgasm, his cock spilling wet stripes of come over Qui-Gon’s fingers. Qui-Gon stroked him through it, still thrusting hard against him, and Obi-Wan brought Qui-Gon’s sullied hand to his mouth and began to lick it clean. Qui-Gon pushed his fingers into Obi-Wan’s mouth, imitiating his cock, and then he stiffened and groaned as he came.

He pulled his fingers apologetically from Obi-Wan’s mouth, but Obi-Wan kept his hand close and continued sucking the semen off of them. Partially, he found the taste and act arousing, but partially...they didn’t exactly have a ‘fresher nearby. Once done he tucked himself back into his pants and rolled to cuddle into Qui-Gon’s waiting arms. Qui-Gon wouldn’t let Obi-Wan mould himself completely to his body however, and kept his hips back; Obi-Wan figured out why and grinned.

“Problem, Qui-Gon?” he asked, his voice rife with amusement.

“I’d rather not get it anywhere else while it’s wet,” Qui-Gon answered. There was wry, faintly accusing look on his face. “It will be uncomfortable, but at least if it’s dry I won’t need to worry about frostbite.” 

“Let me see,” Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, and wiggled down so he was eye-level with Qui-Gon’s groin. He peeled away his pants carefully, noting that they had escaped mostly, and then came to Qui-Gon’s underclothes and softening cock. “Hm. Yes, that would be uncomfortable.” Qui-Gon snorted, tugging on his arm to try and get him back to cuddling. 

“Let me just take care of this,” Obi-Wan chided, and then leaned forward to suck on Qui-Gon’s underclothes. He felt Qui-Gon’s shock, then arousal, and grinned, continuing. Qui-Gon was apparently very...prolific, and Obi-Wan did the best he could before peeling the damp underclothes down and licking and sucking along Qui-Gon’s cock. He did a thorough job, but between the cold and the fact that Qui-Gon had just orgasmed he didn’t get more than a few twitches, and he carefully replaced the layers of fabric before scooting back up. Qui-Gon cupped the back of his neck in one hand and kissed him deeply, chasing the taste on Obi-Wan’s tongue as though to be certain of what he’d seen.

“You--I don’t even know the word for you,” Qui-Gon breathed when he was done. Obi-Wan settled in, smugly twining his legs through Qui-Gon’s and pillowing his head on Qui-Gon’s arm. “We’re going to have to talk about this later. Force, I wish I was younger. That was--that was very arousing.”

“Mm, tomorrow then,” Obi-Wan said drowsily. Qui-Gon laughed and nuzzled into Obi-Wan’s hair happily. 

“Good night, Obi-Wan,” he whispered and together they drifted off to sleep.


End file.
